By Mayabhushan Nagvenkar
Panaji, Sep 29 (IANS): A newly-launched tourism portal in Goa is banking on Brazilian football legend Zico to bring home the bucks as well as fans from soccer-crazy Kolkata and other Indian metros, where the 'Beautiful Game' has a large following.
Mario Fernandes, general manager of tourism portal Goantourism.com that promises a wide range of e-commerce services for inbound tourists, told IANS that a special discount package had been floated for football fans, especially for the three-month long Indian Super League (ISL) which begins next month.
"We are banking on the fact that football lovers from Kolkata, other metros and elsewhere in the country are keen on watching Zico, who is a world football legend, in action," Fernandes said.
While Zico, 61, ISL club FC Goa's marquee coach, is no longer a competitive player, Fernandes believes his legendary contribution to the game is alive even now and that football fans would still travel to watch him bark orders at his team from the designated coaching area.
"We have received enquiries about tickets, that's why we came up with the special ISL package. For now we are offering 10 to 15 percent discount on game tickets and season tickets. The package includes airfare as well," he said.
FC Goa is one of the eight teams which is part of the much trumpeted ISL that kicks off next month and is jointly owned by three club owners, namely, Anirudh Dhoot, a director with Videocon, Srinivas Dempo, chairman and managing director of the Dempo Group of Companies, and Dattaraj Salogaocar, managing director of V.M. Salgaocar and co. The latter two hail from Goa.
While the team has signed Arthur Antones Coimbra, alias Zico, who has played in three World Cup tournaments for Brazil, as its marquee coach, FC Goa has also roped in former Arsenal star and French World Cup winner Robert Pires as its marquee player.
The interest which has been whipped up vis-a-vis ISL, Fernandes said, could be good for those in the travel industry.
"Instead of multi-point transactions like booking your travel separately and then booking ISL tickets, our portal provides a one-point solution for football fans," he said, adding that the portal would be specially promoted in Kolkata, which like Goa, is also known for its passion for soccer.
Fernandes also said that the portal was offering specially created packages for the upcoming International Film Festival of India, which begins in Goa in November. The IFFI attracts nearly 10,000 delegates, many of whom stay in Goa during the entire duration of the 11-day festival.
"IFFI is one of India's biggest festivals and therefore provides much potential," he said, adding that special packages for in-bound tourists for the Exposition of St. Francis Xavier were also being marketed by the website.
Every 10 years, remains of the missionary Spanish saint Francis Xavier are kept on public display at an event called the Exposition of St. Francis Xavier at the Old Goa Church complex located 10 km from Panaji.
According to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, over five million pilgrims from different parts of India as well as across the world are expected to attend the Exposition this year.